Ceres by Marcia Gaylor

Marcia Gaylor
b.1947 | American

Ceres

Signed "M. Gaylor" (lower right)
Oil on canvas

The Neoclassical statue of the Roman goddess Ceres outside of the Chicago Board of Trade is the subject of this oil on canvas by the American painter Marcia Gaylor. The goddess of grain stands proudly at the entrance to the Chicago Board of Trade, alluding to the board’s activity as the world’s biggest grain exchange. Holding a sheaf of wheat in one hand and a horn of plenty in the other, she has come to symbolize and celebrate commodity culture, as well as strength and perseverance in commerce. Gaylor's representation perfectly captures the statue in front of the famed Ceres Cafe, both icons of the Chicago financial district.

Based in southern California, Marcia Gaylor is renowned for her historical scenes that capture the New York City and Chicago stock market trading floors and vibrant financial districts. Before pursuing painting as a career, she earned an MBA from the University of Southern California, and her financial background clearly influenced the direction of her art later in her life. Most of her paintings focus on the economic history of the United States as she captures the financial heart of the country's largest cities. The result is a body of work that stands in colorful tribute to the economy and the power of capital. Today, she remains an active member of the California Art Club, Oil Painters of America, Women Painters of America, as well as the American Impressionist Society.

Painted in 2014

Canvas: 36" high x 24" wide
Frame: 43 1/2" high x 31 1/2" wide